Manny Pacquiao says he didn’t cheat his way to a championship title in a 2000 win over reigning champ Nedal Hussein, Rappler reports.
His comments come days after Hall of Fame referee Carlos Padilla said he deliberately slowed an eight count on Pacquiao to allow him time to get back up and that he ruled a headbutt by the Filipino boxer legal before doctors called off the fight due to injuries to Hussein.
According to World Boxing News which broke the story, Pacquaio wonders why he would make such remarks when there is video evidence from the fight.
“Nedal Hussein, he doesn’t want to listen to the referee. He is focused on me, looking at me. It is the right of the referee to get the attention of a boxer to listen to him,” Pacquiao told GMA. “He [Carlos Padilla] did the right thing. I don’t know if his count is correct. There is a video of that,” he said.
Both Padilla and Pacquaio are Filipino and the fight took place in the Philippines.
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Padilla’s daughter, Suzy Padilla Tuano, has come to the defense of her father. She says his English is his second language and that his remarks may have been misinterpreted.
“Communications can be misconstrued, and well-intentioned words can be misinterpreted. The present situation is one such glaring example of what might have actually been said (no pun intended) and what might have been taken out of context,” Tuano wrote, reported Phil Star.
The World Boxing Council has set up a special panel to review the matter.
“I will personally follow the process in the meantime, The WBC will not make any further public comments,” WBC president Mauricio Sulaiman said.
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